Michigan man claims pickup accelerator had him 'flying through the air'

Before he could blink his eye, a Michigan man says he was flying through the air and off the top of a rig in a pickup truck with an accelerator stuck to the floor.

In a complaint filed Oct. 14 in Madison County Circuit Court, Steven K. Blom claims he was loading a Dodge Ram pickup truck onto a Cottrell-manufactured rig in Missouri on Nov. 9, 2007, when the incident occurred.

"The Plaintiff, Steven K. Blom, sustained severe and permanent injuries to his body when the pickup truck propelled itself forward and cleared the top of the rig, ramming into the pavement below and bouncing on its rear bumper," the suit states.

The incident occurred because the pickup truck contained a manufacturing defect that caused the throttle to be stuck and engage the engine at a time not intended by Blom, according to the complaint.

In his complaint, Blom names TRW Automotive, which manufactured the brake system on the pickup truck, and Continental Teves, which manufactured the accelerator system on the truck, as defendants.

Because of the incident, Blom suffered pain, mental anguish and disfigurement, incurred medical costs, lost wages and experienced a diminished earning capacity, the complaint says.

Blom's wife, Karen Blom, also filed suit, saying she has been deprived of her husband's support and services.

After the incident, co-defendant Cassens Transport Company took the Dodge Ram and destroyed it, even though it knew the vehicle should have been preserved as it could have been used as evidence at trial, Blom claims. Because of this, Blom is unable to pursue products liability claims against TRW and Continental, according to the complaint.

In the four-count suit, Blom is seeking a judgment of more than $350,000, plus costs.

Thomas G. Maag and Brian M. Wendler of Wendler Law in Edwardsville will be representing him.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 09-L-1099.